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Murray McDavid was initially based by Mark Reynier (ex-Bruichladdich), Simon Coughlin and Gordon Wright (ex-Springbank), however since 2013 it’s the bottling model of Aceo Ltd, one of many bigger gamers in whisky brokering. Whereas most of what they do is purchase casks, mature them and promote them to different impartial bottlers, among the casks additionally hit the market beneath their very own label.
We’ll be attempting a younger Benriach and Dalmunch. Each are attention-grabbing for his or her secondary ending interval. The Benriach is completed in Koval casks, a Chicago primarily based kosher distillery recognized for its bourbons and ryes.
For the Dalmunach they used small PX barriques from the small and barely deviant vineyard Ximénez-Spínola. These are typically not seasoned for the whisky trade, however really utilized in considered one of their soleras. If I’m not mistaken, their barriques are manufactured from French oak.
Benriach 8 yo 2013 (46%, Murray McDavid ‘Benchmark’ 2022, Koval bourbon end, 1195 btl.)
Nostril: gentle and accessible, totally on pear sweetness with white flowers and barley sugar. Then massive vanilla marshmallows with hints of apricot and honey. After some time it will get greener and extra sherbety. Nice, so long as you don’t thoughts (barely biting) contemporary oak shavings as nicely – that have to be the newish (and somewhat small) Koval casks.
Mouth: extra of this contemporary oak profile. Vanilla within the lead. Then ginger and white pepper with natural touches, together with barley sugar and inexperienced fruits. Sharpness with some oily hints, inexperienced bananas, apples and plain malt. Not dangerous however somewhat boring.
End: medium, with growing quantities of baking spice. White pepper and buttery vanilla till the very finish.
In my view Benriach wants extra time to essentially present its deserves. After all the Koval casks lend it vanilla and spiciness, however total it’s not likely distinctive. Nonetheless obtainable from Grasp of Malt as an illustration.
Dalmunach 7 yo 2016 (48,5%, Murray McDavid ‘Benchmark’ 2023, Ximénez-Spinola PX barrique end, 2062 btl.)
Nostril: my god, so creamy! Actually buttery and custardy, with loads of milky notes, biscuits and praline. After some time this settles upon extra fruity notes. Baked apples and blood oranges, walnut and almond paste, refined hints of raisins and cinnamon.
Mouth: extra toffee and caramel sweetness, blended with raisins and milk chocolate. Malty biscuits once more, together with cinnamon and roasted almond. Then it strikes in the direction of latte and Café Noir biscuits with hints of salted caramel. Delicate nutmeg and pepper too.
End: medium size, on caramel, pepper and toast.
Ximénez-Spínola has some somewhat distinctive PX wines (not all of them fall inside the D.O. Jerez), so it’s secure to say their casks aren’t at all times traditional both. Certainly this isn’t your typical PX matured whisky, it goes extra in the direction of nutty notes, pepper and latte. I prefer it. For this one examine Whiskysite.nl. Rating: 87/100
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